The Rural Services Network in 2011 chaired by Tory Rutland Council Leader Roger Begy issued a press release blaming central government for the mess we find Rutland County Council has created to community services throughout Rutland.
2012/13 it appear the press release shown below paid of. A Community Transport grant of £33,000 was received from the DFT the grant was not spent and carried forward to 2013/14 marked to be spent on the call connect service.
Rather strangely the council had a budget for community transport £77,300 2013/14 and did not spend any of it.
'No plans have been identified to spend the Community Transport one off budget of £77k' the money will be transferred into council reserves.
So for all those complaining about community transport issues it has nothing to do with central government cuts.
The Rural Services Network Press release
16 November 2011
For immediate release
Public services in rural communities among worst affected
by central government cuts, new report finds
The Rural Services Network, the body representing 93 rural councils and a host of other public service providers serving rural communities across England, has today published its second annual report into the state of rural public services. The report's findings show that reductions in local government budgets will hit rural communities hard leaving many rural residents disadvantaged.
The RSN has been campaigning for the government to reduce the gap in local authority funding for those who live in the countryside in comparison to cities as part of the on-going DCLG's local government resource review. The new report out today confirms that rural residents are bearing much of the impact of the government's austerity measures.
The report analyses existing data in addition to new surveys conducted with Rural Services Networkmembers. It highlights the impact of a 12% cut in the central government grant to local governmenton the frequency, management and range of services provided by local authorities in predominantly rural areas.
The report focuses on particular core services provided at local authority level and identifies the importance of these to the communities that they serve, as well as the impact of the cuts in the central government grant. There is a cost penalty to providing services in rural areas as each service provider has to serve a larger area. When a particular service, such as a library, is closed it has a greater impact on the local population as it may be difficult to get to next nearest provider.
Key findings include:
• Transport: Bus services in rural areas are among the worst affected. The report identifieswidespread cuts in local authority funding for bus services with RSN members reporting anaverage cut of 19% in their revenue budgets between 2010/11 and 2011/12. Bus services in rural communities are much more infrequent than in urban areas despite the fact that those living in rural areas make roughly the same number of journeys as those in urban areas and travel longer distances. With few alternatives, cuts to a particular service or route can have a severe affect on the local community.
• Cultural Services and libraries: The Rural Services Network identified an average reduction in library budgets of 9%, though in some places this exceeded 20%. Rural Services Network members confirmed that libraries in particular were being squeezed by current public sector funding.
• Parks and leisure areas: Most Rural Services Networks members have been forced to cut expenditure on maintaining parks and open spaces, and on sports facilities. This has led tostaffing cuts and services being delivered less frequently and to a lower specification.Combined with cuts in bus routes this will make accessing leisure facilities very difficult for those who rely on public transport.
Councillor Roger Begy, Chair of the Rural Services Network, said:
"The Rural Services Network has campaigned long and hard to ask the Government to reassess the way in which the local government grant is distributed, which currently favours urban local authorities to the tune of £487 per head compared to £324 per head in rural areas.
"The 2011 State of Rural Public Services Report shows that the further 12% cut to the local government grant is already having an impact on some of the core services that local authorities provide and, indeed, the way these services are provided.
Whilst this Report did not seek to identify the impact of the budget cuts in urban areas, to comparethem with rural areas, we know that rural areas are starting from a position of lower service provision due to the historic unfairness of government funding, so the impact of cuts will be felt much harder.
"The research also highlights some excellent examples of innovation and there is much evidence of localism at work in this report. Parish and town councils, volunteers, community trusts, social enterprises and the like are playing a growing part in rural public service delivery. For instance, a new grading system used by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which is protecting vital rural service bus routes that would otherwise not survive. Or Cornwall Council which has managed to extend the reach of its library services by opening three branches within village schools.
"This report really drives home the added challenges of delivering public services in rural areas where local authorities have to deliver more with less. Nevertheless, it gives me great pride to see innovations in these areas which should serve as an example to local authorities across Britain who are having to survive budget cuts."
The authors also sought to update on some of the issues raised in last year's report, findings included:
• Facilities for young people: The wider rural population sees improving activities for teenagers as a high policy priority. Services can be hard to access, with a recent study finding almost 5% of rural 16 to 18 year olds more than one hours travel distance from a further education college;
• Support services for older people: this age group is over-represented in rural areas, with those of state retirement age forming almost a quarter of the rural population. However, new data shows that only 16% of sheltered housing is located in rural areas. Other analysis finds very low claimant levels for Pension Credit among low income pensioners in smaller rural settlements.
Ends
For further information contact:
Andrew Gill (media enquiries), 07815705648
Graham Biggs, Chief Executive Rural Services Network and SPARSE- Rural 01588674922 (mobile 07966790197)
Roger Begy, Chairman of the Rural Services Network and Leader of Rutland County Council, 01572 758224 PA 758203 Mobile 07768471677
2012/13 it appear the press release shown below paid of. A Community Transport grant of £33,000 was received from the DFT the grant was not spent and carried forward to 2013/14 marked to be spent on the call connect service.
Rather strangely the council had a budget for community transport £77,300 2013/14 and did not spend any of it.
'No plans have been identified to spend the Community Transport one off budget of £77k' the money will be transferred into council reserves.
So for all those complaining about community transport issues it has nothing to do with central government cuts.
The Rural Services Network Press release
16 November 2011
For immediate release
Public services in rural communities among worst affected
by central government cuts, new report finds
The Rural Services Network, the body representing 93 rural councils and a host of other public service providers serving rural communities across England, has today published its second annual report into the state of rural public services. The report's findings show that reductions in local government budgets will hit rural communities hard leaving many rural residents disadvantaged.
The RSN has been campaigning for the government to reduce the gap in local authority funding for those who live in the countryside in comparison to cities as part of the on-going DCLG's local government resource review. The new report out today confirms that rural residents are bearing much of the impact of the government's austerity measures.
The report analyses existing data in addition to new surveys conducted with Rural Services Networkmembers. It highlights the impact of a 12% cut in the central government grant to local governmenton the frequency, management and range of services provided by local authorities in predominantly rural areas.
The report focuses on particular core services provided at local authority level and identifies the importance of these to the communities that they serve, as well as the impact of the cuts in the central government grant. There is a cost penalty to providing services in rural areas as each service provider has to serve a larger area. When a particular service, such as a library, is closed it has a greater impact on the local population as it may be difficult to get to next nearest provider.
Key findings include:
• Transport: Bus services in rural areas are among the worst affected. The report identifieswidespread cuts in local authority funding for bus services with RSN members reporting anaverage cut of 19% in their revenue budgets between 2010/11 and 2011/12. Bus services in rural communities are much more infrequent than in urban areas despite the fact that those living in rural areas make roughly the same number of journeys as those in urban areas and travel longer distances. With few alternatives, cuts to a particular service or route can have a severe affect on the local community.
• Cultural Services and libraries: The Rural Services Network identified an average reduction in library budgets of 9%, though in some places this exceeded 20%. Rural Services Network members confirmed that libraries in particular were being squeezed by current public sector funding.
• Parks and leisure areas: Most Rural Services Networks members have been forced to cut expenditure on maintaining parks and open spaces, and on sports facilities. This has led tostaffing cuts and services being delivered less frequently and to a lower specification.Combined with cuts in bus routes this will make accessing leisure facilities very difficult for those who rely on public transport.
Councillor Roger Begy, Chair of the Rural Services Network, said:
"The Rural Services Network has campaigned long and hard to ask the Government to reassess the way in which the local government grant is distributed, which currently favours urban local authorities to the tune of £487 per head compared to £324 per head in rural areas.
"The 2011 State of Rural Public Services Report shows that the further 12% cut to the local government grant is already having an impact on some of the core services that local authorities provide and, indeed, the way these services are provided.
Whilst this Report did not seek to identify the impact of the budget cuts in urban areas, to comparethem with rural areas, we know that rural areas are starting from a position of lower service provision due to the historic unfairness of government funding, so the impact of cuts will be felt much harder.
"The research also highlights some excellent examples of innovation and there is much evidence of localism at work in this report. Parish and town councils, volunteers, community trusts, social enterprises and the like are playing a growing part in rural public service delivery. For instance, a new grading system used by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which is protecting vital rural service bus routes that would otherwise not survive. Or Cornwall Council which has managed to extend the reach of its library services by opening three branches within village schools.
"This report really drives home the added challenges of delivering public services in rural areas where local authorities have to deliver more with less. Nevertheless, it gives me great pride to see innovations in these areas which should serve as an example to local authorities across Britain who are having to survive budget cuts."
The authors also sought to update on some of the issues raised in last year's report, findings included:
• Facilities for young people: The wider rural population sees improving activities for teenagers as a high policy priority. Services can be hard to access, with a recent study finding almost 5% of rural 16 to 18 year olds more than one hours travel distance from a further education college;
• Support services for older people: this age group is over-represented in rural areas, with those of state retirement age forming almost a quarter of the rural population. However, new data shows that only 16% of sheltered housing is located in rural areas. Other analysis finds very low claimant levels for Pension Credit among low income pensioners in smaller rural settlements.
Ends
For further information contact:
Andrew Gill (media enquiries), 07815705648
Graham Biggs, Chief Executive Rural Services Network and SPARSE- Rural 01588674922 (mobile 07966790197)
Roger Begy, Chairman of the Rural Services Network and Leader of Rutland County Council, 01572 758224 PA 758203 Mobile 07768471677
